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WNET reported $119.1 million in revenue and $124.3 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $65.80 went to program services, $19.38 to management and general costs and $14.82 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 80.4% of the total. Government grants made up 18.8%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $851,834 (PRESIDENT, CEO). 157 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 9% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $124MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $119MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 65.8% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 19.4% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 14.8% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.19 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 80.4% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 18.8% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 6.2% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $851,834 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.69% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 157 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 37.5 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 30 of 30 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseNational and local program services: through thirteen productions llc, wliw llc, interactive engagement group llc, audio enterprise group llc, public media new jersey, inc., wnet produces both national and local television and radio programming of the highest possible quality for distribution to other public broadcasting stations including thirteen. Wliw has approximately 22,000 members, public media nj, inc. Has approximately 15,000 members, and thirteen has approximately 216,000 members
Television broadcast station and operations: technical operations provides the transmission of the broadcast signal within the new york city television market. During the 2024/2025 fiscal year on a 24-hour daily schedule, wnet broadcasts over 78,800 hours to the new york city market on stations wnet and wliw. Radio broadcast station operations: technical operations provides the transmission of the radio broadcast signal within the central and eastern long island market, during the 2024/2025 fiscal year on a 24-hour daily schedule,wliw fm broadcasts to over 350,000 listeners on wliw-fm and…
Education: wnet produces a range of educational programming targeted for the full range of our audience, including pre-k through high school, as well as for life-long learners. This includes original educational video and game-based programming that directly supports the development of math, science, foundational reading, social studies, and social emotional learning skills for our youngest learners. During the year, wnet and thirteen broadcast over 21,000 hours of instructional programming. In addition,wnets education team supports this programming with the creation and distribution of…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT, CEO Officer, 30.00 hrs/week | $799,774 | $0 | $52,060 | $851,834 |
| VP, PROGRAMMING Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $420,360 | $0 | $40,285 | $460,645 |
| VP, ADVANCEMENT CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $428,805 | $0 | $14,052 | $442,857 |
| VP, CFO & TREASURER Officer, 30.00 hrs/week | $378,976 | $0 | $40,613 | $419,589 |
| CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $392,800 | $0 | $26,713 | $419,513 |
| VP, PEOPLE & CULTURE Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $383,359 | $0 | $24,235 | $407,594 |
| CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $382,790 | $0 | $8,698 | $391,488 |
| EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $318,362 | $0 | $57,851 | $376,213 |
157 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from WNET (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $4.3M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b30 · 30 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5630
- Volunteers Part I, line 645
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| OREN RUDAVSKY PRODUCTIONS Co production | $604,796 |
| ATTAIN PARTNERS Management & technology consulting | $545,938 |
| PILLAR TO POST LLC Digital media services | $324,141 |
| PIESHAKE PICTURES LLC Co production | $301,279 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 30 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
174 private foundations reported grants to WNET totaling $11M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from WNET's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for WNET, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 WNET spent in FY2025, $65.80 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Society of the Four ArtsPalm Beach, FL · revenue $118M · programs 61.2% · FY2025
- KQEDSan Francisco, CA · revenue $121M · programs 67.8% · FY2025
- Carnegie InstitutePittsburgh, PA · revenue $116M · programs 80.7% · 2024
- California Institute of the ArtsValencia, CA · revenue $122M · programs 85.2% · FY2025
- Cincinnati Symphony OrchestraCincinnati, OH · revenue $116M · programs 75.7% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of WNET's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, WNET reported that 65.8% of its $124.3 million in expenses went to program services, 19.4% to management and general and 14.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does WNET pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation WNET reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $851,834, for the role of PRESIDENT, CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does WNET get its money?
Of $119.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 80.4% came from contributions and grants (including 18.8% from government grants) and 6.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is WNET a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 26-2810489 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202631329349307253 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202511339349309046 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202421369349314347 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202341249349301774 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202231339349308523 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202111349349307646 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 26-2810489: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.